Dr. John Westra
Assistant Professor
Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness
Dr. Westra is working with Krishna Paudel and Wayne Gauthier on factors affecting the adoption of dairy BMPs for manure management. Second, he has worked in the past and hopes to find interested researchers in analyzing the economic and environmental effects of crop and livestock production practices (including BMPs) using biophysical process models combined with economic-policy models. Third, he is working with USDA-ERS in Washington, D.C., in examining the effects of various market-based systems in creating changes in production practices or adoption of BMPs and the effects of these changes in farming practices on achieving TMDL goals in select watersheds. For this third project, we would like to identify one or two watersheds in Louisiana that we might be able to model and analyze within such a framework.
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Dr. Eric C. Achberger
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Current effort involves dairy waste research and the Southeast Research Station. Most of his animal-waste projects deal mainly with bacterial source tracking. PCR-based DNA fingerprinting techniques are used to document the strains of Escherichia coli that are unique to each source of fecal contamination. A DNA fingerprint pattern database for E. coli from common sources of contamination is being compiled. When water contamination is detected using standard testing procedures, E. coli cultured from the water will be fingerprinted and compared to the database to identify a possible source of the contamination. He is also exploring the use of real-time PCR to differentiate sources of contamination using key fecal indicator organisms.
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Dr. Ronnie D. Bardwell
Area Agent (Dairy)
St. Helena Parish
Dr. Bardwell has a successful program utilizing dairy manure from waste lagoons on pastures and crops. Approximately 30 dairy producers have participated in this cost-share program with NRCS each year for the last three years using about $100,000 per year from the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation.
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Dr. Steven G. Hall
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Interested in compost and aquaculture wastes among other things.
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Dr. Theresia Lavergne
Assistant Professor
Department of Animal Science
Her interests are in poultry waste management, in-house pasteurization of poultry litter and in-vessel poultry mortality composting.
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Dr. Mike McCormick
Resident Coordinator
Southeast Research Station
The Southeast Research Station has a strong interest in dairy waste management research. The station has offered its nutrient management position to a young scientist (Dr. Vinicius Moreira), who will work in the nutrient/waste management area with dairy cows. They currently are cooperators on two waste-related projects (through the LSU Biological and Ag Eng. Dept and UNO/Pontchartrain Lake Foundation). The first is an anaerobic/aerobic lagoon project. The other project involves the establishment of different types of wetlands in conjunction with an approved dairy lagoon system. One of these projects is USDA and the other is an NOAA project. We are waiting on AgCenter engineers to develop plans and let contracts for the experimental lagoons.
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Dr. Krishna P. Paudel
Assistant Professor
Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness
His interests deal with the dairy manure disposal problem, BMP adoption and economics of dairy manure disposal. He is also interested in broiler manure disposal, water quality, BMP adoption and economic issues related to broiler production.
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Dr. James L. Rabb
Red River Research Station
Dr. Rabb has two studies that have been ongoing from 4-6 years. One involves the use of poultry litter for cotton production; the other is evaluating pine tree growth in response to poultry litter application. Both projects have been funded by Louisiana DEQ. One of the main objectives was to determine poultry litter effect on water quality. DEQ is not currently funding the projects but has indicated they want to continue with funding. They are doing the production portion, but not water quality until funds become available. Dr. Eddie Millhollon and he are co-project leaders in these studies.
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Dr. David W. Sanson
Central Region
His research in animal waste at the current time is very limited. He does have some interest in poultry litter as a feed for cattle. His Ph.D. research was part of an extensive project to evaluate sewage solids as a protein source for ruminants.
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Dr. Lee Southern
Professor
Department of Animal Sciences
He is a nutritionist working with pigs and chickens and using diet modification to reduce nutrient loss to the environment.
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Matthew F. Stephens
Area Agent
Calhoun Research Station
His interests include poultry litter, horse manure (stall cleanings) and poultry mortality management. His current projects are: in-house pasteurization of poultry litter, composting horse stall cleaning, nutrient removal of forages, poultry litter applicator calibration, Master Poultry Grower Program, CAFO regulations for poultry producers, BMPs for livestock producers.
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